Probably the grandaddy of all "evolving code" projects: Tierra
Modern "evolving code" project: Avida
Just occurred to me.
If you tweaked an "evolving code" project, so that instead of random mutations to each copy of the code, the codes used genetic algorithms as the tool for modification, propagation, then...
if you ran across a bug you could really, truthfully say
"this f*cking code isn't working!"
BTW what do they do to debug the code, to make sure the parameters / values chosen for mutation rates, etc. are actually being followed?
Cheers!
Throw a little ammonia and electric sparks in that computer. Maybe it will spring to life.